


Dance With Me

by Snowywarriors



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 17:26:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14406924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowywarriors/pseuds/Snowywarriors
Summary: One arm wrapping around her waist, his hand finds the small of her back, securely hooking her while the other found her matching limb and laced the fingers with his. He pulled her close and held her rather securely, shifting his weight and using his feet to nudge her legs into a proper stance.“I-I don’t know how to dance.” She admits quietly.“I can show you. Just follow my lead.”





	Dance With Me

It had been a handful of weeks since the battle of Crait and every day since was taking its toll on Rey. The loss of Luke Skywalker, her Master, had left her reeling. She kept trying to find some sort of guidance, a way to fend off the force from making _him_ appear. Force why did it have to be _him_?

She often found herself standing in front of Leia’s chambers with her hand hesitantly reaching out for the handle before she decided against it. Makers knew how badly she wanted to open the door, to sit down with Leia and properly talk about everything that was going on. How the Force, or was it Snoke, connected them? Regardless of whatever the cause, the effect was still in place. She couldn’t stop seeing Ben.

Ben Solo. Kylo Ren. One and the same yet two separate entities fighting for dominance. She hated this _bond_ or rather she _wants_ to. He would often appear before her, usually without warning, and with the same expression, she witnessed when she closed the Millennium Falcon doors on him. When she saved her people and fled Crait.

It broke her heart. She wanted more than anything to comfort the man, to wrap an arm around him and tell him he wasn’t alone in the heartache that was so clearly written on his face. But this was his fault, was it not? He had the chance to come home. To fulfill the vision she had seen of their future together. And yet he turned it away, and for what? Power? She once thought he understood her.

_You’re not alone._

_Neither are you._

Those words had once meant everything to her. They were the only thing keeping her sane those lonely nights on Ahch-To. Yet after the throne room battle, she found it had just been a means to seduce her, to convince her to become his empress.

The thought made her nose crinkle with disgust. She wouldn’t let any harm come to her makeshift family, though she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t considered it. The look in his eyes and the small tremble in his hand as he reached it out to her, begging her to stand with him. It was enticing, to say the least.

Yet here she was alone in her room at one of the many palaces of Naboo. Apparently, Leia had inherited it, and while it was large only so many rooms were available to house the recovering Resistance. She was fortunate enough to get her own room – most of the Resistance had been crammed into smaller rooms filled with bunk beds. Much of the palace was to remain in top shape for later plans. Leia had insisted Rey get her own room in order to meditate in peace, being the last Jedi and all. Though much like the other rooms, this one was small as well. At least she didn’t have to share.

She sighed, sitting down on her bed and leaning against the wall. Her gaze was pinned on the dress hanging on the back of her door.

Leia had been planning an event for a few days. Her intent was to attract the wealthy of Naboo to fund the Resistance enough to buy them some weapons. The party was also to bring attention to the fact that the last Jedi was on her side and hope to recruit new people.

Rey wasn’t entirely keen on the idea of being paraded around as some sort of token, but she knew Leia wouldn’t be doing this if she weren’t desperate. And she was willing to help.

Since they’d been in this palace, Leia had called Rey into her chambers and showed her the unending collection of gowns her closet had hosted. She had said she had inherited them all from her mother, a past Queen of Naboo. Leia always looked sad when she talked about Naboo, the palace, and the people here. It was as if this place was full of ghosts.

She’d heard stories of Leia and Luke. Luke brought down the Empire by killing the Emperor and the great Darth Vader while Leia secured victories for the Rebellion like the battle of Endor. She’d also heard rumors about who their parents were and had put little faith in the ideas until Leia confirmed them. The Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker who married Padmé Amidala, the queen of Naboo. It seemed everyone she knew had some great bloodline they were from.

Because of this, she never felt worthy to wear pretty dresses and to look nice. She’d never been given the chance until recently, but even still, robes and wrap seemed to define her better than a ball gown. When Leia told her to pick a dress from the closet she wasn't entirely sure how to react but settled on the fact that this was obviously a very special gesture for the general and chose one.

When she had come to her decision, Leia had looked at her with a soft and knowing smile before taking the dress off the rack and handing it to the young Jedi. Her eyes sparkled with endearment as she reminded Rey to come see her before the event so she could do her hair.

The grand party was to happen tomorrow evening. Rey didn’t know the first thing about parties, or really what to do with hundreds of people in the same room who all came from something.

Not like her. She was _nothing_ as Kylo had so keenly reminded her.

She felt a wet warmth on her cheek and realized with small alarm that she was crying. Reaching a hand up she touched the tears before clenching her fist and slamming them down onto her sheets. _Why me? I’m nobody._ She pulled her knees up to her face and nuzzled her nose between her kneecaps, letting the tears fall freely.

There was just too much going on and her mind was going haywire as she tried to process it all. She went from living a rather solitary life just outside the Niima outpost of Jakku as a scavenger to being a beacon of hope to the Resistance and becoming Jedi of all things.

“Rey…”

The deep words broke her from her thoughts where she quickly looked up from her crossed arms and into the eyes of Kylo Ren.

_Kriff, kriff, kriff, kriff!_

With shaky arms, she quickly wiped her tear-soaked face with her sleeves. While she never knew exactly when he would appear she had always tried to time these moments so he never saw her sadness, her tears, her pain. Yet here he was.

“What’s wrong?” Force his voice was so _soft_ as if it hurt him to see her like this.

Turning her head slightly she looked down at the floor as if it held something interesting. “I’m fine,” she huffed out, but the tears that kept falling betrayed her words.

“You’re not –“ he began but was quickly interrupted.

“Don’t!” Snapping her head up to look at him she yells much louder than she has intended, her brows furrowing in anger. “Those aren’t your words to say. Don’t try and comfort me like I’m some sort of friend.”

She watched as his jaw clenches, biting down whatever words he was going to say and instead he takes a step towards her. When she doesn’t retract he takes another and another until he is standing before her and she needs to angle her neck to look up at him.

Quietly and ever so carefully he pulls his gloves off, letting them fall to the floor with a soft plop. His dark eyes were trained on her and he paused after every movement a silent plea hanging in the air – _Is this okay?_

Her face still held the lines of anger but she didn’t move from him, her tears still falling hot and heavy. As angry as she was it was more so at herself and her inability to push him away. She wanted so badly to scream at him, to urge him to fight her but the look in his eyes held her still. He looked so defeated. As if nothing around him mattered except for her right now.

Slowly he reaches a large hand up, gently wiping away some of her tears along one cheek. The touch initially makes Rey recoil more out of surprise than anything else. After a beat passes she finds herself leaning into his hand, letting his warm calloused hands soothe her.

“Rey…”

“Not yet. Just…Not yet.”

So instead he draws broken circles against her cheek with his thumb, his finger sliding across the smooth skin with each salty tear he claims.

The seconds bleed into minutes and eventually the tears stop falling, a humble silence taking its place

“I’m sorry.”

When the words are spoken, she blinks, reality sinking in once more. Shifting, she gets off the bed and goes to her door, standing before the dress she had picked out. She needs to get away from the touch. _His_ touch. She can’t bear to face him, not right now. “Sorry for what exactly?” She grinds out probably sounding a lot more hostile than he deserved at this moment.

She can hear him suck in a breath as if he hadn't expected her to sound so forced in a reply.

“I can’t sleep at night.” He continues as if he hadn’t heard her. “I close my eyes and you’re standing there. You grab my grandfather’s lightsaber from me before I can react and strike me down in the throne room. I thought the nightmares would leave when Snoke died.” He pauses, swallowing hard before continuing. “It’s been so quiet in my mind with him gone. And then there’s _you_. I sleep and you’re there, I’m awake and you’re here…” He trails off uncertain with where to go from there.

She carefully turns around to face him, “Ben.” His name was nothing more than a whisper from her lips yet it still made the man visibly shiver before her. “Why?” _Why tell me? Why now?_

“Why what?” He prompts.

“Say it.” He tries again.

Exhaling slowly she replies, “Why didn’t you come back with me?” Her voice cracks giving her away though she stubbornly chalks it up to the fact she’s been crying and not the fact that the question has been plaguing her mind since Crait.

Kylo bites the inside of his lip before carefully choosing his next words, “Because you need to let the past-“ _die._ “Go.”

Rey snorts, throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. “I don’t know why I tried. You know for a second I considered it but then I realized it was just your sick attempt at seducing me to become your empress. All you wanted was power. You can only see the Dark Side.”

"You're wrong. I didn't propose to you with the intent of harboring the Dark Side. I did it because there's light in me. A light that _you_ keep drawing out. Just as there is darkness in you. And the Force created this bond for a reason.” _Don’t be afraid, I feel it too._

“Snoke created the bond,” she weakly corrected, though she knew in her heart it was wrong. It had always been the Force that brought them together.

_We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy._

“You wanted me to join you at the expense of everyone else I loved. What did you think was going to happen?” She raised her voice desperately. “I would have joined you in a heartbeat if you would’ve let them go.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes once more. “Did you know Luke wanted the Jedi to die? That he didn’t want to teach me?” No one ever wanted to teach her.

_You need a teacher! I could show you the ways of the Force!_

“But even if I let the Jedi teachings die, what’s to say you would have truly given up the Sith teachings?”

“I gave you my word. I would have let the Sith ways die.” _For you._ The words hang unspoken in the air but so clear.

“You still wanted to kill my friends…!” Her lip quivers now, “My family!”

He winces slightly as if he finally gets her implications about the Resistance. “I-I can’t go back.” He admits slowly and clears his throat before continuing, “There’s nothing for me to go back to. I’d be executed without a second thought for my crimes against the Resistance. I’d have no future – “ _with you_.

She stiffens as if he had said the words that linger around them, but he didn’t need to say anything. She knew what he meant. He had seen a future with her.

Without thinking she begins to pout, her cheeks puffing out slightly and her eyebrows drawing together. “You’re wrong! They wouldn’t execute you, Ben.” She takes a step closer to him and begins to stammer, “I-I’ve seen it.”

It’s all she can do to not think about her vision from when they had touched hands-on Ahch-To. His fingers had been so warm and welcoming, inviting her closer and when they finally touched she was stunned at the flashes of a future she saw. He had been happy _with_ her. They had been together in every sense of the word smiling and laughing.

Her fast-moving thoughts caused an unintentional blush creep up on her cheeks and she tries her best to hide it by instead looking down at her feet. But he notices. Of course, he notices.

He lifts a hand out, propping her chin up so they would once again meet eyes. “You have?” He searches her eyes desperately, pleading for her to share the memory through the bond.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breathe, relaxing her shoulder muscles. If he were to move his hand from under her chin she would surely crash into him. But she trusted him. At least for the moment. She mentally feels out the Force bond between them and does her best to send her vision his way.

His grip on her chin tightens ever so slightly and she can tell he’s seeing what was once her only hope. Afraid to open her eyes and meet his deep dark depths, she keeps them sealed, continuing her almost meditative breathing.

“Ah, you have.”

When she hears his reply she nervously stills and looks up at him. Was she just imagining it or had his voice actually sounded lower than normal? Regardless, the blush was spreading to her ears and she wanted to move, to hide her face. Something deep inside of her was keeping her feet rooted in place.

She found her gaze being drawn to his lips. Those perfectly pouty lips that called to her. Not entirely sure what was driving her, she moved, brushing his hand off her chin to stand on the tip of her toes. She could hear his breath catch which grounded her once more and instead of kissing those full lips she pecked his freckled cheek.

They both froze in place, caught on the high of the vision, afraid to move.

“Come back. There’s still time. We’ll do this _together_.” Her voice was all but a breathy whisper that tickled his cheek.

“Okay.”

Rey pulls back, uncertain if she heard him properly but finds his eyes are slightly widened as if he too is astonished he had agreed.

He had said it. He was going to come back. _For her_.

His jaw clenches and she watches as he sighs, “Not yet though. There are some things I need to do before I can. I need to make some arrangements. I can’t just walk out.”

Rey was filled to the brim with newfound excitement, for the first time in awhile she had _hope_ , so solid and clear. He was going to come home to be with her. Her eyes flicked hungrily across his face, looking for any sort of signal that he might be lying, and when she found none she tightly wrapped her arms around him.

But soon enough the words replayed in her mind and she found herself frowning. “I-I don’t understand.” She was sputtering and she knew it, but she didn’t understand why he couldn’t just come now. It would have been that easy in the throne room. All he had to do was come back with her on the ship. So what if he was the Supreme Leader of the First Order? There wasn’t anyone stopping him but himself she realized. And just like that doubt had seeded itself within her. She thought back to Jakku, how she had waited for her parents to come back after their promise and now it was if all her confidence had been sucked out. She would have to wait again before she would find out if he would keep to his word.

It was almost as if he could hear or feel her inner turmoil because he leaned so close, pressing his forehead against her own and mumbling, "Soon." His word was a finite promise he intended to keep. She could feel his determination, but that didn’t stop the seed from spreading.

As quickly as he had said the word, he was gone, the Force bond having reached its limit.

He was gone, for now. But he’d be back. He had to come back. He promised. He knew just how much it meant to her.

She found herself looking at the dress she had chosen from Leia’s closet and suddenly she felt exhausted. She had been so excited earlier that she had nearly forgotten the event she was to attend in a matter of hours now. Now that she thought about it, she was rather physically drained from all the crying she had done earlier. And so with little effort, she climbed onto her bed and curled up, for once eagerly looking forward to tomorrow and what the Force Bond would bring.

_You’re not alone._

_Neither are you._

Those words softly echoed around her skull until she found her first restful night of sleep in days.

\----------------------------------

When Rey awoke the hours had ticked by until it was time for the event. She finds herself needing Leia’s help to put the dress on properly and to generally go over what she needed to do to attract potential funders. She was going to treat this as a mission, she had to or she might lose herself to nerves.

“You don’t have to do anything, Rey. Your presence is more than enough. Thank you for not denying this old lady’s request and dressing up.” Leia’s lips pulled back into a thin smile. While she was certainly aging, Rey had found her to be one of the most beautiful people she’d ever met. Leia had an aura about her that seemed to charm everyone she met, including the young Jedi herself. “You’re done,” the woman murmured so softly and it took Rey a second to process the words. Her dress was on properly and her hair pulled up. “See for yourself,” Leia gently motioned to a mirror that easily was the same height as Rey.

It took her a second to figure out how to walk in the dress she was wearing and when she did she made her way to the mirror. She saw herself, but it was an odd thing because the woman staring back at her had looked like a _somebody_. Surely not like her. Right?

Her long dress was tight against her body, drawing out the lean muscles of her stomach and buttocks. The dress cut at her hip leaving one leg exposed while the other was hidden behind the gray Cyrene silk. She had been drawn to it because of the unique qualities it held – while it as most definitely a ball dress, it also provided more maneuverability than the other dresses she had gone through.

The hair Leia had generously gone through the effort to do was set with two lower buns at the base of her neck. While the buns were rather large, or so she thought, it framed her face rather well. Leia had told her it was a family trademark, which had brought a rueful smile to both of their faces. _Family_.

She lifted a hand up and fingered the low hanging necklace that drew attention to her small breasts. It was a simple necklace, not at all like some of the ones she had looked at – the cord of the necklace was black hide that held a small crystal at the end. The crystal was small, yet warm, and as Rey ran her fingers over it she couldn’t help but smile. It was beautiful for something so tiny. She was afraid to wear it at first. When she saw it she immediately had reached out and grabbed it, turning it over in her hands. Leia had seemed stunned that out of all the jewelry that was her pick, but then that small knowing smile had graced her lips and she had let Rey take it. “It’s better off with you, I think.” She had said when she had passed it onto the young Jedi woman.

With a deep breath she turned to face the older lady, a smile evident, “Thank you, Leia, for helping me get ready. I hope today’s event goes over well.”

“Me too, Rey. Me too.”

It was time to get out of her hair, so to speak, and head down to the event. Leia would be making an appearance later but first had to tie up some transmissions and get herself ready.

Walking down the hallways she couldn’t help but gawk at the extraordinary architecture and décor. She’d been here a few weeks and had time to look before, but oddly enough things looked different with the lighting setup for the party. It all seemed more lit up than normal, but she knew it was probably just her nerves seeing things differently.

Stepping nervously into the ballroom she found it trying to find a place away from people. Couples took up most of the floor in extravagant outfits dancing slowly together. There was a band of Gungans nearby playing instruments with a slow tempo, which caused the couples dances to be slow and intimate.

Spotting the perfect place, she eased her way awkwardly through the couples, finding her little nook in the back of the ballroom. There were smiles and laughter all around her and yet she had never felt so uncomfortable around so many people, a frown forming on the edge of her lips. She didn’t know these people or even how to dance. She had been a scavenger most of her life, there was no time for such pleasantries.

She turned when she heard a cough only to see Ben standing there awkwardly. She could see a deep blush settling across his cheeks as he took her in. She stared openmouthed, the heat rising to her freckled cheeks as well. Now was not the time for him to appear. She couldn’t talk to him in front of all these people!

Glancing around to see if anyone was watching her she quickly approached him, grabbing his wrist and yanking him closer to her. His eyes widened slightly and she couldn’t help but notice how close he was to her right now. “I can’t exactly talk right now, Ben.” She hissed under her breath in his direction.

“Where are you?” Came the uneasy words of the man donned in his normal clothes. “Why can’t we talk?” He added and looked around, obviously attempting to see her surroundings but was unable to. Just her. It was always just _her_.

She debated whether or not to tell him the cause but found the words falling out of her mouth, “Your mother planned the event to get more funding for the Resistance. I can’t say much else. You’re still the enemy at the moment.” She narrowed her eyes at the last sentence. She hated that he was still there, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, and not with her. But she needed to trust he would come back soon. He had promised her, after all, and he hadn’t lied in the past.

He sighed and reached a hand up to rub his red cheeks. “Soon,” came the promise again.

“ _Soon_ ,” she repeated, affirming things in her mind. This was real. It was going to happen.

She curiously watched as he peered down at her, taking in her face, her neck, and her chest – his gaze settled on the necklace around her neck and she watched him gingerly reach out to touch the cord. The contact sent shivers down her spine, he wasn’t wearing his gloves this time, or maybe he’d taken them off already in her haste to pull him closer. His lips parted slightly as he stared intently at the little crystal in between her breasts.

“Where did you get this?” His words were hoarse and quiet, which surprised Rey. He almost sounded choked up. Did this necklace mean something to him? She pulled the cord so the crystal rested gently on her face up palm.

“This little thing? Leia was helping me get ready and she let me pick out a necklace and… well… this one spoke me to me.” She bit her lip. It probably sounded really lame, she realized. “I know it sounds silly but it has really helped me today.”

“Really? Do you know what this is?” He inquired softly. When she didn’t respond he filled in the blanks, “A kyber crystal. My kyber crystal. Or a piece of it anyway.”

Kyber crystals? She remembers reading about them from the Jedi texts she had taken. Weren’t those used in making lightsabers? She’d tried several times to put back together the lightsaber they had split in the throne room but she couldn’t get the split in half crystals to cooperate. This was part of that? This was his?

“Yours?” It took her a few seconds to process and then, “This is yours?” She steps back, keeping mindful of the dancing couples nearby and lowers her voice some. “How?”

“When I became Kylo Ren, it’s a rite of passage for the Sith to take a kyber crystal and bend it to your will. The act makes the crystal splint and bleed, giving it the red color.” His hand moves, hovering over the saber clipped to his belt. “When mine cracked, a small piece broke off and was left in the rubble of the Jedi temple.” He motions vaguely to her neck before continuing, “My mother must have found it and made it a fashion accessory.” Though he sounded bitter, she could tell the gesture meant a lot to him.

His mother had searched and found this tiny crystal in the ruins of the old Jedi temple, and now it called to her… why?

“It must have resonated with you because of the Force bond we share.” He answers her silent question. She finds his gaze falls to her lips and she licks them in an involuntary response. She can’t tell the look in his eyes but she’s seen it before, a deep needy look that flared heat to her core. “You said you were at an event? Is there dancing?”

She nodded discreetly, wondering how many people had glanced her way at her rather one-sided whispering. Maybe she was just being paranoid.

He reached out to her, holding his hand out like he had in the throne room. Please. “Dance with me then?”

Wait, what? “Dance with you?” She repeated, dumbfounded. “You can’t even hear the music.” Her voice was rising awkwardly and it was certainly drawing attention so she grabbed his hand, allowing him to pull her close. Which still must have looked rather odd since people couldn’t see him.

One arm wrapping around her waist, his hand finds the small of her back, securely hooking her while the other found her matching limb and laced the fingers with his. He pulled her close and held her rather securely, shifting his weight and using his feet to nudge her legs into a proper stance.

“I-I don’t know how to dance.” She admits quietly.

“I can show you. Just follow my lead.”

And so she did. It was awkward at first, but they found a rhythm that worked for them after she had stepped on his rather large feet several times.

“You’re rather good at this.”

“Ah, well. When your mother is royalty, you learn how to properly acquaint oneself with dancing.” He muses, leaning down so he could whisper in her ear. “You’re a rather good partner.” The breath tickling her ear and sending shivers down her spine.

“As if,” She chuckles softly against his sternum.

Their swaying stops as the hand that was knotted together with her own reaches over, gently propping her chin up. Her lips part in question and he smiles softly at her. “You look amazing tonight.” A compliment. A genuine compliment.

“Ben…”

She wants to argue with him and tell him, no, but she’s caught off guard when he leans down and presses his lips to her. The kiss is undeniably soft and not what she thought a kiss with him would be like.

He pulls back timidly and searches her face for a reaction. Instead, she closes the gap and kisses him harder this time, her tongue trailing along his lower lip asking for access, which he grants with little resistance. The hand that’s placed on the small her back tightens, fingers curling into the soft fabric.

She feels him hesitantly pull away before she sees it. “Later,” was all he murmured before he took up the dancing posture once more.

He seemed more considerate of her surroundings than she did and for that she was grateful. She had the grace of a happabore and probably needed to stop drawing attention to herself. But she couldn’t help her actions when she was around him, moving more on instinct than on thought.

Leaning her head against his chest she closed her eyes and breathed out. Moments later she felt his chin on top of her head, a gentle reminder that he was looking out for her.

It took her a few moments to realize the music had died down and when she turned her head to see what the commotion was, she realized Leia had made an appearance and was staring at them. She wondered if the older woman could see Ben like Luke had, and by the mild look of confusion on her face, she knew she could.

How long had Leia been watching the two of them dancing to their own tempo? Had she seen them kiss? Kriff, that would be bad. If it was possible to grow even more red-faced, now would have been the time.

Kylo grasped that she was looking at something and gave her some space, letting his hands fall to his side so Rey could step away.

Leia, with newfound determination in her eyes, made her way over to Rey. “How long?” She asked seriously yet in a low voice as to not draw suspicion. “How long has he been here? Why has no one noticed him?”

Fumbling for any sort of loose hemming on her dress and finding none, Rey met eyes with Leia, “He’s not actually here. I’ve been meaning to tell you for so long now. W-We have this connection through the Force and he just kind of appears…” She trailed off. It wasn’t exactly a good explanation and when Leia started to peer around, she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What are you looking for?”

“Ben. My son. I saw him and then he was gone. I can’t see him anymore.” Her eyes darted around desperately trying to find a remnant of her son.

Rey looked around as well and realized that he was in fact gone, the bond having closed off on its own again.

“The bond’s closed now. I can’t see him any longer either,” she carefully replied. “I’ve been talking with Ben and he’s going to come home. He told me last night, but I wasn’t sure about it until today. He’s going to come back.” Her brows knitted together in worry, “but I need your help. He’s our last hope and I need to know the Resistance won’t do something when he comes back.”

“He’s coming back? Truly?” The woman replied, still looking for her son but to no avail.

“He is. And he wants… I want him to stay with me. I know the crimes he’s committed and I believe in time with him on our side he can slowly pay them back, but I need you to convince the council to drop charges.”

“They’re not going to like that, Rey. I’m as happy as any other mother to hear that her son is finally coming home, but even so. He needs a trial. I can try and make sure it’s fair, but I can’t offer more than that.”

The knot in her stomach tightened and she looked down. “I promised him he could come back. That we’d do this together. If he’s going to be tried, I will too.”

“Why would you need to be tried? You haven’t done anything wrong.” Leia reasoned gently or tried to.

But she didn’t understand. Things weren’t black and white. Kylo had committed crimes, but so had she and yet she’d been welcomed with open arms. Come to think of it, a lot of newer recruits to the Resistance had done some terrible things in their time. She, for one, had killed countless amounts of people. Joining the Resistance was more of a gray area for all concerned, as long as you showed dedication to fighting oppression from the First Order. Surely Ky- no, _Ben_ , fit in that same gray area?

When she finally opened her mouth to protest, she realized the older woman had that knowing smirk on her lips that said she had something up her sleeve. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Leia had chuckled as if it were some inside joke. “But even in a fair trial, I’m sure I can pull some strings. I am his mother after all,” her wrinkled hands found Rey’s and she squeezed gently. “Thank you for giving this old lady some hope. For bringing my son home.”

Smiling, Rey nods only to find herself to be enveloped in a hug. They were still a rather new concept to her. Physical touch had been limited growing up on Jakku, yet this act was warm and welcoming.

“So how long have you two been together?”

The words buzzed around her while they processed and eventually made her jolt away, only to find Leia grinning with a sparkle in her eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh! This is finally finished! Shout out to my friend Socks and Soul for proofreading this and helping me out with ideas along the way! 
> 
> This is for Day One of Reylo Week 2018. Aka Color (Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Grey), and I chose Gray! Which was the color of the dress Rey was wearing and brought up in her argument with good guys vs bad guys at the end there. I've had this idea for awhile but it wasn't until there was a makeshift deadline that I went about finally writing it!
> 
> I felt like I added a thousand little references, some more obvious than others to past lines/actions in the movies. 
> 
> Thank you all for taking the time to read this! Please feel free to comment, kudos, and/or bookmark if you enjoy! 
> 
> Reference:  
> [Cyrene Silk](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cyrene_silk)  
> [Happabore](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Happabore)


End file.
